Communications devices are used throughout most of the world and are often designed and developed to operate with at least one, if not more than one, communications network. Each communications device is uniquely identified within a network and is often uniquely identified within the network, thereby enabling a communications source device to contact the receiving device through connection points across the network. Similarly, each communications device is tracked on a network for its use of bandwidth in operation on one or more networks.
These communications devices are often in the form cellular phones, smartphones, or other telephonic-based equipment but may also include devices such as tablets, pads, and displays which are capable of connecting with and using a communications network's resources for communicating. Still other devices may include one-way communicating equipment, such as medical emergency or alarm-based equipment that contacts a receiving device or system across a network. The use of the term communications device or “device” herein is not intended to be limited to examples set forth, but rather incorporates and includes any device capable of communicating on, with, and/or across a communications network, wired or wireless, and thereby uses network resources of bandwidth to upload, download, transmit, receive, or transceive data. Examples of devices may include: laptops with 3G or WIFI capability; smartphones with 3G, 4G or CDMA/GSM; alarm systems across a publicly switched telephone network (PSTN) line; texting equipment; a machine-to-machine (M2M) environment; and similar.
In many applications, a communications device may not be physically connected with a communications network and may be able to connect with multiple communications networks owned by different entities. Tracking the use of a particular device on various networks is an important activity as the use of a network's bandwidth is typically the primary source of monetization for operators of a network.
FIG. 1 depicts a basic M2M communication network 100 having typical sensor-type devices 120, 130 and 140. Cell phones at 145 and 155 are also provided. In FIG. 1, the M2M network 100 has a central communication gateway 110 in which communications from devices 120, 130, 140, and 145 are linked with a service provider network 150. The linkage may be wired or wireless, and is depicted as the security camera 120 and the water alarm sensor 130 are in wireless communication with the gateway 110. Similarly, the traffic camera sensor 140 is in wired communication with the gateway, though one will appreciate that there are many variations to the type and protocol of communication for FIG. 1. As one can appreciate, there may be many variations for a M2M communication network and devices thereon. Further, smartphones and varied other devices may also be part of the network and communicate via varied means.
From FIG. 1, data sensed and obtained by the devices is transmitted across the M2M network to the service provider network 150 where the data may be shared as raw data or converted to information, often though software applications. Notification equipment 160 wirelessly receives the data from the service provider network 150, as may the cell phone 155, and acts in accordance with the received data for the specific event. For instance where the notification equipment is an alert system to send a text to a building owner in the event of a water leak, and the water sensor has sent data indicating a water leak, the notification equipment will then trigger an event to notify the building owner. Similarly, from FIG. 1, where the user 170 receives a suite of rolling historical data as to traffic camera operation cycles, the user may then act accordingly based on the received cumulative information. The transmission and receipt of data across the network from varied devices can be tracked on a per device basis, a per grouping of device basis, and across the network. The usage of data by a device is often then billed to a device-owning consumer (or user) based on a consumption rate plan that provides for a certain amount of time and/or use of data by a device owned by the user.
Unfortunately, usage plans are often determined or selected based upon a user's expected use of the device across a network, which is often difficult to accurately track with ease. Typically a device owner estimates an intended use amount, in time and/or bandwidth, and then begins to use the device and may not develop a routine cadence to routinely check daily usage amounts or similar. As a result, often a user may receive a billing from a network operator for the prior period of time (monthly or quarterly) where the user's use of the device on the network has exceeded the intended use, resulting in overages and network use costs that exceed the anticipated amount.
Operator networks are known to provide a historical review of a user's use on a network and make recommendations for a preferred rate plan to use for the following month. Similarly, a user may switch plans, choosing one operator's rate plan over another's for perceived benefits of costs, rate allowances, overages, credits, etc. These efforts to undertake a rate plan change require either the operator or the user to overtly recognize that another rate plan may be available or that the user's actual use exceeded his intended use and a change is needed, based on historical information.
However, undertaking such an effort is contradistinctive to a network operator's monetization model and is also an activity that a user may not recognize is available, particular as the user has already committed to a rate plan, likely as a subscription with the purchase of a device, and is likely not current on available rate plan options or offerings.
The situation is compounded where a user is the owner of many devices, such as a smartphone, laptop, tablet and alarm system, all on the same operator network and under one rate plan based on a capped use amount. The situation is further compounded where a user is the owner of hundreds of devices, each possibly on a varied rate plan and differing network, and each being operated by one of a hundred different user types each having their own particular communication need (time, bandwidth, location, etc.). Such a situation may exist at an equipment leasing company or corporate entity, for instance.
It is therefore desirable to provide for determining a smart rate plan in relation to a user's profile and use characteristics which provides for a cost-effective rate plan for the user independent of the number of devices or rate plans the user may have.